asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the value of the total number of applications for grants payable and (b) the total amount to be allocated out of Hospital Trust Funds in the current year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Trust Funds.
7.
I assume that the Question refers to capital expenditure on hospital building projects and not to payments in respect of the revenue deficits of voluntary hospitals and miscellaneous payments such as those made in respect of the expenses of the Hospitals Commission, grants to the Medical Research Council, minor expenditure on necessary repairs and provision of items of essential equipment in the case of voluntary hospitals, etc.
At the 1st July, 1959, the Hospitals Trust Fund was committed to the payment of grants totalling about £1,600,000 in respect of hospital building works still in progress or completed but not fully paid for.
It is now estimated that grant payments totalling about £9 million would be required to meet the liabilities that would arise if certain other projects involving capital expenditure included in the Hospital Building Programme, in respect of which definite undertakings were given to the promoters prior to 1st April, 1957, were to be allowed to proceed.
It is estimated that grants totalling about £930,000 will be made in the present financial year on capital projects, including payments in respect of works in progress and schemes which have been completed but have not yet been fully paid for.